Spring clamp for holding electric lamps



Jan. 4, 1949. G. F. GRICE 2,458,371

SPRING CLAMP FOR HOLDING ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed Sept. 11, 1946 Fig.1 v Fig. 2

' lNYE NTQ R Gorge ft rice ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING CLAMP FOR HOLDING ELECTRIC LAMPS This invention relates to an improved spring holder for electrical lamps, and one of its objects is to provide a holder which can be used for supporting an electrical lamp on the rafter of a building or on the branch of a tree, and which can be released easily from supporting position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a holder for portable electrical lamps, of the type generally known as trouble lamps, with a double cross bar which can be clamped directly to the electrical socket of the lamp, and a pair of spring pressed curved levers, which can be placed astride a rafter or tree branch, and which will support the lamp in a pendant position to illuminate the area below the rafter or the branch.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, showing the spring pressed levers in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof.

Fi 3 is a cross sectional view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of the invention, 5 designates cross bar, having a central hole 6 to receive the neck I of the electrical socket 8, which holds the electrical lamp 9. This cross bar may be formed in two similar sections l and H, which are connected to each other by means of the screws l2, so that the neck 1' may be clamped between the tWo sections. A screw I3 may also be threaded through one of these sections to prevent displacement of the socket neck 1.

One end of the cross bar is formed with bearing lugs I 4 and 15, which pivotally receive the lower end of the holding lever I6, and a pin or rivet I1 is extended through these lugs and the lever part which passes between the lugs. The other end of the cross bar is provided with similar bearing lugs 18 and I9 and the holding lever 28 is pivotally secure-d between these lugs by the pin or rivet 2 I.

The holding levers l6 and 20 are similar in construction, each lever having a main arcuate section 22, formed with a free turned ball terminal 23, and the two levers are so arranged that these free turning balls normally engage each other. The inner end of each lever is provided with a short handle 24, and the cross bar 5 is sufiiciently wide or long to space these handles from the sides of the socket 8.

The levers are connected to each other by means of a pull coil spring 25, which acts to normally hold the free turning balls 23 against each 0 other. By manually gripping the handles 24 the 2 levers will be swung outwardly of each other, so that a gap of sufiicient width will be provided to receive a rafter or tree branch, or other lateral or horizontal support.

When the levers are allowed to return to closed or holding position, by release of manual pressure from the handles, by the reaction of the coil spring, the upper ends of the levers will close the, gap which received the rafter or tree branch, and the lamp socket and its lamp will be safely supported on the rafter or tree branch. B-y gripping the two lever handles the levers may again be forced apart to release the holder from the rafter or tree branch. The lamp is supplied with current through the usual extension electrical conductor cord 26.

Various spring closed lamp holders have been placed on the market, but none of these have been designed with two matching vertical levers, 50 arranged that the lamp may be safely supported on a rafter or tree branch, in a position below the rafter or tree branch, .and an accidental pull on the conductor cord would not result in disengaging the holder from the rafter or tree branch. Applicant has provided such a device.

It is understood that various changes in the details of construction, their combination and arrangement, may be made, within the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims hereof.

Having described the invention, I claim as new:

1. An electric lamp holder comprising a, two part cross bar, the parts of the bar having recesses for receiving and retaining a lamp socket, means for fastening the parts together, each of said part-s having lugs and these lugs of the respective parts being aligned with one another to provide bearings, holder levers pivotally connected to the bearing lugs and at the opposite sides of the cross bar and having upper ends 00- operating with one another and adapted to lie on the opposite sides of a girder or the like when the holder has been connected thereto, said levers having loop portion-s whereby they may contain or surround the girder, and a spring connected between the loop portions of the lever to urge the levers toward one another, and handle portions depending respectively from the levers.

2. An electric lamp holder as defined in claim 1 and ball terminals adjustable on the upper ends of the levers and adapted to have contact with the respective opposite sides of the girder.

GEORGE F. GRICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 216,624 Mayo et al June 17, 1879 1,171,710 Freixas Feb. 15, 1916 

